Check your mouse polling rate in the browser
The polling rate (or report rate) is how many times per second a mouse tells the computer where it is: 125 Hz on office mice, 500 or 1,000 Hz on most gaming mice, and up to 4,000 or 8,000 Hz on newer ones. This mouse polling rate test estimates it from the timing of the input events your browser receives while you move the mouse.
It shows the median rate, the average while moving, the best 100 ms window and how even the intervals are, and it snaps to the nearest standard rate only when the measurement is close. It is honest about its limits: a web page cannot read the USB report rate directly, so the figure is an estimate — usually spot on for 125 to 1,000 Hz, less reliable above that.
How to test mouse polling rate
- Put the pointer in the dashed box.
- Move the mouse quickly in big circles for 3–5 seconds. Slow movement gives low readings, because the mouse only reports when it moves.
- Read the estimated rate. “≈ 1,000 Hz” means the measurement was within 20 % of that standard rate.
- Check the bars: each one is a 100 ms stretch of movement. Steady bars mean a steady report rate.
- Press Start again after changing the rate in your mouse software, and compare.
Mouse Polling Rate Test features
Raw input events
In Chrome and Edge it listens to pointerrawupdate, which fires once per mouse report — the most direct timing a web page can get.
Coalesced fallback
Other browsers merge reports into one event per frame; the tool unpacks them with getCoalescedEvents.
Robust statistics
Uses the median interval and ignores pauses, so stopping or changing direction does not drag the result down.
Per-window chart
A log-scale bar chart of the rate in each 100 ms of movement, with 125–8,000 Hz guide lines.
Honest labelling
Shows the measured value as well as the nearest standard rate, and says which input method your browser used.
How the polling rate is estimated
Every mouse report becomes a pointer event with a high-resolution timestamp. The test records those timestamps and measures the interval between each report and the next. At 1,000 Hz the interval is 1 ms; at 500 Hz, 2 ms; at 125 Hz, 8 ms. Intervals longer than 25 ms mean the mouse stopped, so they are left out. The estimate is 1000 ÷ the median interval, and the average over all moving stretches is shown next to it.
If the result lies within 20 % of a standard rate — 125, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000 or 8,000 Hz — the headline shows that rate with “≈”. Otherwise it shows the raw number, which can happen with mice that change rate with speed, or when the browser throttles events.
Why results can differ from the box
- Timestamp precision. Browsers round event times, often to 0.1 ms, to protect privacy. At 8,000 Hz the true interval is 0.125 ms, so rounding alone makes readings jump.
- Event merging. Without raw update events, browsers group reports per display frame. The tool unpacks them, but some browsers drop or merge reports — Safari in particular.
- Movement. A mouse reports only when it moves. Slow or tiny movements leave gaps and lower the reading.
- System load and wireless. Busy CPUs, USB hubs and wireless interference all add jitter. Plug the receiver close to the mouse.
- Battery saving. Some wireless mice drop to a lower rate in power-saving modes.
Is a higher polling rate better?
A higher rate shortens the wait between your hand moving and the computer knowing: on average half an interval, so about 4 ms at 125 Hz, 0.5 ms at 1,000 Hz and 0.06 ms at 8,000 Hz. Beyond 1,000 Hz the gains are small and cost more CPU time, and some games stutter at very high rates. Many players settle on 1,000 Hz. For the whole chain from click to screen, try the input lag test, and when you change DPI keep your aim the same with the sensitivity converter.
Mouse Polling Rate Test FAQ
How do I check my mouse polling rate?
Open this test, move the mouse quickly in circles inside the box for a few seconds, and read the estimated rate in Hz.
Why does my 1000 Hz mouse show less?
Usually because it was moved too slowly, the browser merged events, or a power-saving mode is on. Move faster and use Chrome or Edge, which provide raw input events.
Can a browser measure 4000 Hz or 8000 Hz?
Only roughly. Timestamps are rounded to about 0.1 ms and events may be throttled, so very high rates often read lower or jump around. The mouse’s own software is the authority.
Is this mouse polling rate checker accurate?
For 125–1,000 Hz it usually lands within a few percent. It is an estimate based on event timing, not a reading of the USB descriptor.
Does polling rate affect input lag?
Yes, slightly: the average delay from movement to report is half the interval — 4 ms at 125 Hz, 0.5 ms at 1,000 Hz.
Does the test work with touch screens?
It will measure, but the number is the screen’s touch sampling rate, not a mouse. The note under the chart says when touch or pen input was used.